Cross-wedge



June 16, 1 942. STARKS, I 2,286,586

CROSS-WEDGE Filed July 29, 1941 Ben marks.

Patented June 16, 1942 CROSS-WEDGE Benjamin Starks, Monticello, Iowa, assignor to John J. Eggers, Monticello, Iowa .Application July 29, 1941, Serial No. 404,475

3 Claims.

This invention relates to wood-splitting wedges, and especially to an improved crosswedge.

The most efiicient splitting of wood with wedges is accomplished where the wedging surfaces are disposed at an angularity of about 20 degrees until the wedging surfaces become very smooth or coated with wood-sap that tends to lubricate the wedging surfaces; but when either of these conditions takes place, the wedge is often caused to fiy from the log because of the spring action inherent in the Wood; and such flying wedges are not only dangerous, but sometimes result in temporary or permanent loss of the wedge. Moreover, heretofore, wedges of such major angularity have not been provided with a simple and effective means to prevent such fiying of the wedge.

One object of the present invention is to provide such a Wedge of major angularity with a pair of wedges of minor angularity, which latter will not yield to the springiness of the wood and will overcome or counteract the tendency of such springiness to force the wedge of greater or major angularity from the log or billet being split.

Another object is to provide such cross-wedge that can be integrally formed by any of the simple methods of casting, molding or forging, so its cost is reduced to the minimum.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cross-wedge made according to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same as shown in Fig. 1, but viewed at right angles to the viewline of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the cross-wedge of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of cross-wedge;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing said modified form;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the modified form;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line 88 of Fi 6.

Referring to the drawing in detail, in which, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, it is seen that the maul-end-portion II] has its extreme upper end slightly beveled to form a circular maulreceiving surface II, the body portion I0 being slightly elliptical in cross section. A pair of wedges or major angularity are shown at l2, and a pair of wedges of minor angularity are shown at I3. The entering edges of the wedges I2 are shown at I4, and the entering edges of the wedges I3 are shown at I5. All these entering edges meet at a common center shown at I5 in Fig. l and at I4 in Fig. 2. The entering edges I4 are alined with one another, and the entering edges I5 are alined with one another and are at right angles to the entering edges I4; so, in effect there are only two wedges intersecting one another at right angles; but in actual construction, there are four wedges separated by a hidden core that converges to nullity at the point I4I5.

In other words, there are two pairs of wedges, one pair being of minor angularity, seen at I3, and the other pair being of major angularity, as seen at I2. By the words major angularity, as here used, is meant that the wedging surfaces of the wedges I2 are disposed at an angle that is greater; and the term minor angularity means that the wedging surfaces of the wedges I3 are disposed at an angle that is less than that of the wedge I2.

The sum of the lengths of the entering edges I5 is equal to the major axis of the ellipse shown in Fig. 3; and the sum of the lengths of the entering edges I 4 is equal to the minor axis of the ellipse.

In Figs. 1 and 2, it is seen that the peripheral or axially remote surfaces of the wedges of each pair are parallel to one another and are radially coextensive with the periphery of the maul-endportion III with which they meet and are flush at their upper ends; but in the method of forming these wedges it may be found beneficial to very slightly taper these edges or axially remote surfaces, so they may be easily withdrawn fromthe forming dies or molds.

The greater the angularity of the wedges I2, the greater the necessity for ample frictional surfaces (wedging surfaces) of the wedges I3 to be clamped by spring action of the wood being split and thereby to counteract the tendency of the wedges I2 to be ejected in consequence of their major angularity.

In the present drawing, the angularity of the Wedges I3 is about five degrees, and the angularity of the wedges I2 is about 20 degrees, so that each stroke of the maul effects the maximum widening of the split in the 'log or billet, and the danger of the wedge flying is eliminated by the friction of the spring-pressed wood against the nearly parallel or slightly diverging frictional surfaces of the wedges I3.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 where the cross-section is angular, the elements 20, 2|, 22, 23, 24 and 25 correspond to the parts I0, ll, l2, I3, l4 and I5, respectively of Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

When splitting short billets with this form of wedge, such billets are preferably set on one end, and the wedge is driven into the upper end so neither wedge crosses the grain of the wood; but where used on long logs that are to be out laterally, such logs can first be cross-cut with a saw to a depth beyond the width of the saw; then the wedges of minor angularity can be placed in the saw-cut, and as the cross-wedge is mauled down, the splitting and sawing can progress simultaneously or alternately while the wedges l3 widen the saw-cut to prevent the wood from pinching or clamping the saw; and the wedges l2 whose entering edges are parallel with the grain of the wood, may complete the splitting by the time the sawing-off is completed,

While the drawing shows the sum of the lengths of the entering edges l and 25 greater than the sum of the lengths .of the entering edges 14 and 24, it is quite within the scope .of this invention to make them of equal lengths; also to make other changes in shape and proportions; so I have no intention to limit my patent protection to the two forms here shown and described.

I claim the following as my invention:

1. An integrally formed cross-wedge comprising a maul-end-portion and two pairs of wedges which latter have entering edges meeting at a common center, the wedges of one pair having their entering edges alined and at right angles to the entering edges of the, other pair, one pair of said wedges having wedging surfaces disposed at a minor angularity, the other pair of said wedges having wedging surfaces disposed at a major angularity of at least twice said minor angularity, the outer edges or axially remote surfaces of each pair of wedges being substantially parallel to one-another and laterally co-extensive with the axially remote surfaces of said maulend-portion.

2. The structure defined by claim 1, said major angularity being approximatelytwenty degrees, and said minor angularity being less than ten degrees.

3. Thestructure defined by claim 1, the combined lateral extent of thewedges of minor angularity being greater than the combined lateral extent of the wedges of: major angularity.

BENJAMIN STARKS. 

